High School Sports
Gillespie softball wins regional championship, rides 14-game win streak
The Gillespie softball team continue to ride a 14-game win streak through regionals with a 3-2 win over Southwestern on Tuesday, May 14 in the regional semifinals and a 14-2 win over Staunton on Saturday, May 18 to win the regional championship.
Versus Southwestern, Emma Gipson earned yet another win in the circle for Gillespie. Gipson gave up two runs on four hits, striking out nine batters. Grace Strohbeck took the loss in the circle for Southwestern. Strohbeck surrendered three runs on four hits.
Ava Parish had a hot bat in the leadoff spot, going 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. Parish’s run scored came from a homer to left field during the bottom of the fifth. Macie Wright went 1 for 2 at the plate, with one run scored, drawing Gillespie’s only walk in the game. Paxton Reid and Gipson had a hit in their winning efforts. Wrigley Releford had an RBI on a sac fly during the bottom of the fifth.
Gillespie ousted Staunton on Saturday, May 18, with a final score of 14-2 to capture the regional championship.
Gipson pocketed the win in the circle, giving up two runs on four hits over five innings of work. Gianna Bianco took the loss for Staunton. Bianco surrendered six runs on six hits.
Bats were hot for Gillespie, with a total of sixteen hits in their winning efforts. Gipson went 3 for 3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 1 walk. Sadie Sholtis was dynamic at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs plated. Sholtis homered to center field during the bottom of the second, adding two runs to Gillespie’s lead.
Ava Parish went 2 for 2 at the top of the lineup with three runs scored, leading Gillespie in walks with two. Laci Shuckenbrock went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and one run scored. Wrigley Releford went 2 for 3 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. Lauren Bertagnolli and Wright each contributed a hit to the win. Reid went 2 for 3 at the plate.
The winning streak continues for Gillespie. They are currently on a 14-game winning streak with an overall 28-4 record and will face Breese Mater Dei on Wednesday, May 22 in Greenville for the sectional semifinal.
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The Gillespie High School baseball team had six players receive South Central Conference accolades, conference officials announced on Monday. The Miners had three named to the first team, two to the second team, and two to the third team.
Named to the first team included seniors Bryce Buhs as pitcher, Tristen Wargo as infielder, and Jesse Berry as outfielder. Wargo was also named to the conference’s second team as pitcher alongside sophomore Collin Griffith. Senior Jaydon Baker and junior Jack Kaylor were named to the third team as designated hitter/utility and outfielder, respectively.
Rounding out the conference’s first team included Nathan Matoush of Hillsboro in two places as pitcher and infielder; Marcus Payne, Rocky Darr and Hunter Newell of Southwestern; Carson Satthoff, Mathew Bywater, and Jake Gasperson of Litchfield; Aiden Hatalla of North Mac; Benjamin Hutchinson of Greenville; and Kale Konrad of Vandalia.
Joining Wargo and Griffith on the conference’s second team is Adam Hale, Colin LeMarr and Ryan Lowis of Southwestern; Carter Legendre and Dillon Pritchett of Staunton; Ethan Saathoff of Litchfield; Rowdy Sussenbach and Cohen Alstat of Greenville; Quinn Morrow of North Mac; and Andrew Kelly of Vandalia.
Third team honorees include Drake Curry, Cohen Alstat, Dominic Sanchez, and Hudson Alstat of Greenville; Carson Saathoff and Tate Dobrinich of Litchfield; Cade McCready and Collin Etter of North Mac; Ryan Karbach, Parker Moore, and Madyx Angel of Pana; Marcus Payne of Southwestern; Ayden Jones of Vandalia; and Noah Convery of Carlinville.
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Eight players from the Gillespie Miners softball team were selected to the South Central Conference All-Conference teams, conference officials announced on Monday.
Being honored on the first team from Gillespie included senior Emma Gipson, juniors Delaney Taylor and Macie Wright, and sophomores Ava Parish and Paxton Reid. Senior Wrigley Releford and sophomore Sadie Sholtis were named to the conference’s second team while freshman Laci Shuckenbrock was named to the third team.
Other first-team honorees from around the conference include Carlinville’s Hallie Gibson and Isabella Tiburzi; Staunton’s Ele Feldmann, Taylor Nolan, and Lilly Troeckler; and Alexis Bowman of North Mac.
Joining Releford and Sholtis on the second team include Taylor Keirs and Ines Oprtigosa of North Mac; Gianna Bianco of Staunton; Abby McDonald of Southwestern; Braley Wiser and Hannah Gibson of Carlinville; Zoee Englert and Haylee Clark of Greenville; Brianna Mathis of Pana; Aubrey Evans of Hillsboro; and Madison Lupton of Vandalia.
Rounding out the third team are Joey Laker and Kennedy Bowker of Pana; EmmaLeigh Wilfong and Emma Bingham of Greenville; Addison Ruyle and Olivia Kunz of Carlinville; Vivian Zurheide and Ella Kadell of Southwestern; Korryn Keehner, Kylie Lucykow, and Sam Anderson of Staunton; Elise Walch of Litchfield; Karleigh Prose of North Mac; and Peyton Chappelear of Hillsboro.
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In an emotional rollercoaster of a sectional final, Gillespie’s season came to a bittersweet end with a nail-biting 2-3 defeat at the hands of Newton this past Saturday, May 25.
Newton swooped in with a late-game rally, clinching the win over Gillespie. Tensions were high all game long. Newton made an explosive statement right out of the gates when Sally Mahaffey blasted a solo home run to right field. Gillespie’s response was swift, with a double from Emma Gipson in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one apiece.
The scoreboard remained unchanged as both teams dug in until the sixth inning, when Sadie Sholtis’ single sent a runner home, pushing Gillespie into the lead. A hit off the bat of Audrie Reich allowed Newton to tie the game up 2–2. Newton clinched the lead in the top of the eighth and held off Gillespie with three straight outs in the bottom of the eighth, taking the win.
Emma Gipson led Gillespie in the hit column, going 2 for 4 with one RBI. Sholtis went 1 for 2 at the plate with one run, one RBI, and two walks pocketed. Lauren Bertagnolli went 1 for 3 with one run plated. Wrigley Releford and Laci Shuckenbrock both had a hit in their efforts.
While this may not be the end that Gillespie hoped for, they still had a phenomenal season. Gillespie’s season record is a testament to their grit and tenacity ending 29-5 on the season. The Miners have three seniors departing the team including Lauren Bertagnolli, Emma Gipson, and Wrigley Releford.
